A Culver City car wash has been fined $2.36 million for wage theft violations after failing to pay 64 workers minimum wage and overtime pay. Workers were even made to pay for towels used on the job through payroll deductions, according to California Labor Commissioner Julie Su in a report released Wednesday, April 17. (FILE PHOTO: ED CRISOSTOMO, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER)

A Culver City car wash has been fined $2.36 million for wage theft violations, the largest penalty the state’s Labor Commission Office has ever issued to such a business.

The fines levied against the owners and parent company of Centinela Car Wash include restitution for 64 workers who were denied minimum wage and overtime pay and even made to pay for towels used on the job, according to California Labor Commissioner Julie Su in a report released Wednesday, April 17.

Hooman Nissani, president of the company that owns the carwash, and its general manager, Keyvan Shamshoni, were found jointly liable along with the parent company, Playa Vista Car Wash. Nissani also owns a successful car dealership in Beverly Hills.

“Individuals acting on behalf of an employer to steal workers’ wages cannot hide behind corporate entities to avoid personal liability, all the while profiting at the expense of honest businesses that play by the rules,” Su said in the statement.

Representatives of Centinella Car Wash did not respond to requests for comment.

The employees will receive $1,849,151, with the remaining money covering civil penalties. The violations include minimum wage violations, unpaid overtime pay, and meal and rest break violations. Some worked as many as 10 hours a day and received no overtime.

Centinela Car Wash was also cited for mandated wait time, a process in which supervisors would make workers congregate in an alley near the facility a half-hour before it opened. Workers would then be selected for that day. Some would be sent home after waiting for several hours. If an employee is ordered to a specific location, by law that person is under the employer’s control and must be paid.

Also, employees were often asked to take extended lunch breaks and come back hours later. State law requires a “split shift premium,” which were not paid.

Workers also will be reimbursed $19,000, which was deducted from paychecks for the use of towels at the carwash.

Su said in her statement that these abuses at common in the car wash industry.

Wage theft is rampant in industries such as car washes, garment makers, caregiver facilities, restaurants and construction firms. Hundreds of wage theft cases are pursued each year by state and federal officials against California companies who fail to fairly compensate their employees.

In July 2018, another Southern California carwash owner was ordered to pay $4.2 million in back wages and penalties.

Vahid David Delrahim of Los Angeles failed to pay 800 workers minimum wage or overtime at a dozen car washes in Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. He was ordered to pay $1.9 million in back wages — going back to 2013 — and another $1.9 million in damages to the workers. He also was fined $400,000 in civil penalties.

This labor commissioner’s investigation into the Culver City operation was opened after a referral from a group known as the Community Labor Environmental Action Network, or CLEAR. The nonprofit group assisted by contacting workers who may have been victimized and coordinating interviews with state investigators.

Employees with complaints or questions can contact the Department of Industrial Relations’ call center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734).